The celebrity roster for Tuesday night’s black-tie Carousel of Hope Ball seemed more like the Oscars than a charity event, with Academy Award nominees Oprah Winfrey and Kate Hudson joining statue holders Tom Hanks and Halle Berry – all in the name of raising money to fight children’s diabetes.
Highlights of the evening included Monster’s Ball star Halle presenting Oscar winner Sidney Poitier with the Brass Ring Award, and performances by iconic musicians BB King, Sting and Elton John. Rod Stewart was also on hand to represent the world of rock’n’roll.
This year’s event, presented by US chat show host Jay Leno, also brought in famous supporters from the world of TV, such as Frasier star Kelsey Grammar as well as Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox Arquette of Friends. Other stars at the biennial gala included John Travolta, Liz Hurley and Legally Blonde star Reese Witherspoon.
All of the proceeds from the bash – over $60 million has been raised since the first ball in 1978 – go to benefit the Barbara Davis Center For Childhood Diabetes.
The A-list guests were in for a scare, however, when high profile Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr Jerry Buss, who bought the pro basketball team in 1979, collapsed during blues guitarist BB King’s performance. US interviewer Larry King, who was a guest at the event, witnessed the drama. “Oprah Winfrey and I… started jumping up, trying to get BB King to stop playing and get some attention for Dr Buss, who was obviously in big trouble,” recalled the CNN host.
The self-made multi-millionaire was rushed to nearby Cedars-Sinai Hospital hospital, where doctors reported he was in a stable condition. A statement issued by the Lakers later said he had suffered "dizziness as a result of neck pain" and was released from hospital after a two-hour stay.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
